Éléphant de savane vs Carpophage des Moluques

Loxodonta africana compared with Ducula basilica

Key Differences

• Éléphant de savane is Vulnerable while Carpophage des Moluques is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Éléphant de savane	Carpophage des Moluques
Kingdom same	Animalia (animal)	Animalia (animal)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Mammalia (mammifères)	Aves (oiseau)
Order	Proboscidea (Elephants)	Columbiformes (Pigeons & Doves)
Family	Elephantidae (Elephants)	Columbidae
Genus	Loxodonta (African Elephants)	Ducula
Species	Loxodonta africana	Ducula basilica

Evolutionary Relationship

Éléphant de savane and Carpophage des Moluques share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Éléphant de savane

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~415.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Carpophage des Moluques

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Éléphant de savane	Carpophage des Moluques
Diet	Herbivore	—
Average Lifespan	65 years	—
Average Length	6.0 m	—
Average Weight	6.0 t	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Éléphant de savane

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, and flooded grasslands and savannas, among 5 distinct biome types within the Afrotropic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Found in Kenya. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Carpophage des Moluques

Habitat

Typically found in various aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic environments.

Range

Found in Norway.

Éléphant de savane

The largest land animal on Earth, African elephants can reach 7,000 kg and inhabit sub-Saharan savannas, forests, and wetlands. Highly intelligent with complex social structures led by matriarchs, they communicate through infrasound, rumbles, and touch. As ecosystem engineers, they shape habitats by uprooting trees, digging waterholes, and dispersing seeds. Vulnerable, with populations declining due to ivory poaching and habitat loss.

Carpophage des Moluques

The cinnamon-bellied imperial pigeon (Ducula basilica) is a large, arboreal fruit pigeon in the family Columbidae, endemic to the Moluccas (Maluku Islands) of eastern Indonesia, including Halmahera, Bacan, Obi, Ternate, and adjacent smaller islands. It inhabits primary and mature secondary lowland and hill forest, where it feeds on fruits, figs, and berries in the forest canopy. The plumage is largely dark metallic green above with a distinctive cinnamon-rufous underside that differentiates it from related imperial pigeons. Large fruit pigeons of the genus Ducula are important seed dispersers in island forest ecosystems, capable of swallowing large fruits whole and dispersing seeds far from parent trees. The species is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, with populations considered stable in the Moluccas. However, all large fruit pigeons are susceptible to hunting pressure and habitat loss, and monitoring is needed given ongoing forest conversion in eastern Indonesia. The Moluccas harbor exceptional bird diversity due to their position between Asian and Australasian biotas. This species is absent from Europe entirely; Norwegian database records are incorrect geographic artifacts. Conservation of intact lowland forest in the Moluccas is important for this and many co-occurring endemic species.